Whitbread plans to open a Bar + Block restaurant on Princes Street in Edinburgh—its first Scottish site for the growing brand. It will be located alongside Whitbread’s Premier Inn in the city. The Bar + Block concept currently operates restaurants in Bath, Birmingham, Kings Cross, Aldgate and Whiteley.
Pizza Pilgrims is opening two new London restaurants over the next couple of months: on Old Broad Street by Tower 42 in the City in October, and on Bermondsey Street near London Bridge in November. They will add to Pizza Pilgrims’ seven other London restaurants, as well as one in Oxford.
London-based coffeeshop, cocktail bar and restaurant concept Grind is to open a new site, and its largest to date, in Greenwich. It will open in a 6,000 square feet unit on Nelson Road, previously occupied by Jamie’s Italian, before the end of the year. Founder David Abrahamovitch said: “We have never taken on a project on the scale of Greenwich Grind, and we couldn’t be more excited to share everything we’ve been working on with the people of Greenwich.”
Brewhouse & Kitchen opened its latest new brewpub and restaurant in Horsham on Thursday (6 September). The company now has 23 sites around the country. Co-founder Simon Bunn said: “To be located in Horsham’s town centre is wonderful, allowing us to deliver a truly unique pub experience to residents and visitors alike and embrace the community with open doors and full kegs.”
‘Social darts’ bar concept Flight Club plans to open on Temple Street in Birmingham. Local media report that it has applied for planning permission for a building previously occupied by a bank. Flight Club already operates in Shoreditch and Bloomsbury and will open on King Street in Manchester in the next few weeks.
Crazy golf and bar operator Junkyard has secured a site at Liverpool ONE. The 17,000 square feet site will open early next year, becoming Junkyard’s fifth location in addition to London, Leeds, Oxford and Manchester. Co-founder Chris Legh said: “Liverpool ONE was the obvious choice for our expansion plans in the north-west.”
Pizza Punks, a restaurant concept with sites in Glasgow and Belfast, opened a first venue in England, on Grey Street in Newcastle, on Thursday (6 September). It has taken over a unit previously run by Café Rouge. The Pizza Punks concept offers customers as many pizza toppings as they like for a fixed price of £10.
Ei Managed Investments and the Urban Pubs and Bars group are to join forces on a new venture, Urban Pubs and Bars Two. It will start with three pubs: the Paradise by Way of Kensal Green, the Royal Oak in Harlesden and the Rose Pub & Kitchen in New Cross. All are Ei Group sites run by Urban. The new venture will now explore other pub opening opportunities in London.
Nando’s will open in Yeovil before the end of the year, according to local media. It has also lined up an opening in a former Prezzo unit in Reigate in Surrey, which is due next year.
Brasserie group Cote has reopened its restaurant in Horsham, nearly a year after a fire wrecked much of the site.
Sticks n Sushi says it will open its new restaurant on King’s Road in Chelsea on 1 October. It will join restaurants in Canary Wharf, Covent Garden, Greenwich, Victoria and Wimbledon in London, plus sites further afield in Oxford and Cambridge.
Wagamama has officially launched at the Gloucester Quays leisure development.
US-style barbecue brand Hickory’s has applied for permission to open a new-build restaurant in Telford. Hickory’s has eight other restaurants in the Midlands and north-west.
Late-night operator Deltic has set 21 September for the opening of its new Vinyl venue in Cambridge. It replaces the Kuda concept on Sidney Street in the city.
US-style concept Big Moe’s Diner has launched at the London Designer Outlet in Wembley Park. It is a third restaurant for the brand, which also operates in Barking and on Whitechapel High Street. The London Designer Outlet has just seen the launch of JRC Global Buffet, and has also agreed an opening for Opa, a new Greek-style bakery and patisserie concept. Realm leasing director for the Outlet, Christine Grace, said: “We’re delighted that Opa and Big Moe’s Diner have chosen LDO… these announcements show how we’re bucking the trend with casual dining.
JD Wetherspoon has set 18 September for the opening of its new pub in Midsomer Norton in Somerset, called the Palladium Electric.
Scotland’s Buzzworks Holdings group has lined up an opening in Linlithgow, having acquired the Bridge Inn. Buzzworks currently operates 11 venues in Scotland, with brands including Lido, Scotts, Elliots and the five-strong House group.
